Scrollsaws
- Thread starter ike
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Anonymous
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Ike
I know this is probably egg-sucking time but I have a Delta thicknesser and on a quality scale it scores 100% - possibly the best quality power tool I have. I suspect that their scroll saw will be superb
(no probs with Rexon so far though)
I know this is probably egg-sucking time but I have a Delta thicknesser and on a quality scale it scores 100% - possibly the best quality power tool I have. I suspect that their scroll saw will be superb
(no probs with Rexon so far though)
Hello All,
Stage 2:- please can I have some advice on which scrollsaw blades to get.
I guess it's a price/quality thing like with bandsaw blades and dure edge is it? I hung back from ordering a 'selection pack' with the machine as (a) seemed like, quite expensive without knowing quality of said blades, (b) might end up with surplus blades I don't need.
cheers,
Ike
Stage 2:- please can I have some advice on which scrollsaw blades to get.
I guess it's a price/quality thing like with bandsaw blades and dure edge is it? I hung back from ordering a 'selection pack' with the machine as (a) seemed like, quite expensive without knowing quality of said blades, (b) might end up with surplus blades I don't need.
cheers,
Ike
Newbie_Neil
Established Member
HI Ike
Gill always recommends going to the jewellry quarter in Birmingham and buying their nice thin blades.
Do a search for GillD and scrollsaw.
Cheers
Neil
Gill always recommends going to the jewellry quarter in Birmingham and buying their nice thin blades.
Do a search for GillD and scrollsaw.
Cheers
Neil
A
Anonymous
Guest
The blades Gill recommends getting are jewellers (or piercing) saw blades; not strictly speaking made for powered scroll saws, but extremely fine (and extremely delicate). You have to be sure that the fitting of blade to saw is right before buying these - if your saw takes a pin type blade, these are no good to you.
Esp,
Thinking more of blades for cutting birch ply, wood and acrylic, but not extremely fine shapes - more for toy parts and puzzles. The machine will take pin end, plain end or round end blades. Whats' best? - pin end or plain end. I notice Axminster do HSS blades. I imagine they'd wear considerably longer wouldn't they?.
PS. For anyone else as well, I found helpful blade selection info here. Seems like PGT (Precision Ground Tooth) blades such as Olson are highest quality (and price).
(Edited to assist search for 'scroll saw blades'.)
Ike
Thinking more of blades for cutting birch ply, wood and acrylic, but not extremely fine shapes - more for toy parts and puzzles. The machine will take pin end, plain end or round end blades. Whats' best? - pin end or plain end. I notice Axminster do HSS blades. I imagine they'd wear considerably longer wouldn't they?.
PS. For anyone else as well, I found helpful blade selection info here. Seems like PGT (Precision Ground Tooth) blades such as Olson are highest quality (and price).
(Edited to assist search for 'scroll saw blades'.)
Ike
When I first started, I used the blades that were supplied with my Hegner. These gave a very satisfactory finish but, as with all things, had to be replaced eventually. Since then I've tried various readily available commercial brands such as Delta, Sandvic and 'shed' own brands. I've found them to be much of a muchness.
What does make a difference, seeming to improve both blade efficiency and longevity, is the dust extraction system. Make sure you don't allow dust to build up as you're cutting.
To my mind, jewellers blades undoubtedly give the finest cut and are quite suitable for most general work, including birch ply - they're not as fragile as you might think. However, novices might get through quite a few whilst learning how to use them initially. One of the downsides of jewellers blades is that they cut quite slowly.
A few years ago, spiral blades were introduced. These meant that, in theory, you could cut in any direction. Unfortunately, they had rather thick profiles and blunted quickly - if you see any of these on offer, avoid.
A word of caution about cutting acrylic with a scrollsaw. A variable speed can be useful, otherwise there's the risk of the blade overheating and actually melting the material instead of cutting it.
Yours
Gill
What does make a difference, seeming to improve both blade efficiency and longevity, is the dust extraction system. Make sure you don't allow dust to build up as you're cutting.
To my mind, jewellers blades undoubtedly give the finest cut and are quite suitable for most general work, including birch ply - they're not as fragile as you might think. However, novices might get through quite a few whilst learning how to use them initially. One of the downsides of jewellers blades is that they cut quite slowly.
A few years ago, spiral blades were introduced. These meant that, in theory, you could cut in any direction. Unfortunately, they had rather thick profiles and blunted quickly - if you see any of these on offer, avoid.
A word of caution about cutting acrylic with a scrollsaw. A variable speed can be useful, otherwise there's the risk of the blade overheating and actually melting the material instead of cutting it.
Yours
Gill
A
Anonymous
Guest
Gill said
"A word of caution about cutting acrylic with a scrollsaw. A variable speed can be useful, otherwise there's the risk of the blade overheating and actually melting the material instead of cutting it."
One of the "tricks" I was taught when cutting acrylic was to ensure the self-adhesive backing was always left on, failing that cover the surface with brown plastic parcel tape. Both theses covering seem to wipe the blade clean during the cut and thus reduce friction.
Bob
"A word of caution about cutting acrylic with a scrollsaw. A variable speed can be useful, otherwise there's the risk of the blade overheating and actually melting the material instead of cutting it."
One of the "tricks" I was taught when cutting acrylic was to ensure the self-adhesive backing was always left on, failing that cover the surface with brown plastic parcel tape. Both theses covering seem to wipe the blade clean during the cut and thus reduce friction.
Bob
Alf
Established Member
I like the festive avatar, Gill. Any chance of a bigger pic?
Cheers, Alf
Cheers, Alf
Thanks Alf 
.
I'm afraid my photographic skills can't quite stretch that far. The actual size of the model is less than 2" so I'm not sure that enlarging it would make much difference anyway.
It's surprising what you can knock together with an MDF off-cut, a scrollsaw and a few kiddies' paints.
Bob's post reminded me that his tip about using parcel tape is one I've heard before, and not just in relation to cutting acrylic. Apparently it helps lubricate blades no matter what you're cutting. It might even work with bandsaws and tablesaws, not that I'm likely to test it myself. Hmmm... thinking about it, I used parcel tape a lot when I was doing marquetry. Perhaps that's how I managed to make a scalpel blade last 11 years.
Yours
Gill
.I'm afraid my photographic skills can't quite stretch that far. The actual size of the model is less than 2" so I'm not sure that enlarging it would make much difference anyway.
It's surprising what you can knock together with an MDF off-cut, a scrollsaw and a few kiddies' paints
.Bob's post reminded me that his tip about using parcel tape is one I've heard before, and not just in relation to cutting acrylic. Apparently it helps lubricate blades no matter what you're cutting. It might even work with bandsaws and tablesaws, not that I'm likely to test it myself. Hmmm... thinking about it, I used parcel tape a lot when I was doing marquetry. Perhaps that's how I managed to make a scalpel blade last 11 years.
Yours
Gill
Thank you everyone for your advice. I have ordered the Delta 40570 which has dust extraction outlet (and apparently a blower that still works adequately at the slowest speed). I ordered some Olson PGT blades from Hobbies at Dereham - 1 selection pack of skip/reverse and 1 selection pack of double/reverse. So I can try a good selection and find out what works best for what.
cheers,
Ike
cheers,
Ike
Alf
Established Member
Gosh, makes it even better. Very cool.GillD":3p85qexg said:
Cheers, Alf
